Blackman Cruz Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary With Edgy New Collections

Jane Hallworth’s Haunt light fixture, at Blackman Cruz, one of the Los Angeles boutique’s fanciful new releases to celebrate the its 20th anniversary.

Blackman Cruz, the Los Angeles showroom renowned for its extraordinary mix of antique decorative treasures and eccentric contemporary pieces, is marking its 20th anniversary with a wealth of product introductions. In addition to new furniture and lighting by Stefan Bishop, Chuck Moffit, and Gianni Vallino, rakish showroom czars Adam Blackman and David Cruz have unveiled a tantalizing collection of work by Jane Hallworth, the effervescent designer of choice for Hollywood’s golden boys and girls.

Called American Gothic, Hallworth’s 13-piece line takes its inspiration from vernacular archetypes such as Adirondack chairs, trestle tables, and industrial lighting fixtures. Bronze insects and other artisanal appliqués represent a “subtle perversion of these cherished classics,” says the cheeky designer.

Hallworth’s nautically inspired Pequod light.

One of her lighting creations—call it Ishmael—takes the form of a harpoon fashioned from hand-forged, blackened steel. In another tip of the hat to Mr. Melville, the Pequod spotlight, designed for illuminating paintings and bookshelves, is made of an iron buoy attached to a rusticated chain. Thar she blows!

The Mace ceiling light is comprised of glass spikes set in a brass bowl.

On the spookier side, the collection includes the Haunt lighting fixture, which features bronze moths swarming to a light emanating from a milk-glass bowl; the Mace chandelier, with hand-cast glass spikes on a spun-brass bowl; and the Nevermore barstool, which has bronze sutures à la Frankenstein that secure deep fissures in the wood—Shelley and Poe, together at last.

Not to be outdone, Blackman Cruz’s indefatigable design director, Lika Moore, and her team have created their own fanciful riffs on traditional furniture forms. Standouts in their new 20-piece offering include Moore’s Leonine wall console, with antique wood beams set on massively scaled bronze claw feet, and David Cruz’s adjustable-height Molar barstool of walnut, patinated brass, and leather—like pulling teeth, but better.

Cruz’s walnut, patinated brass, and leather Molar barstools.

As always, there’s plenty of wit to go around at Blackman Cruz, where top-drawer design never takes itself too seriously. Bon anniversaire!